Patient Golf 🙏

Previously, I wrote about the heavenly virtue of prudence and how it can be applied to your golf game. Following a prudent or wise choice on the golf course or in practice, is patience.

Golf can be an infuriating game sometimes. Imagine hitting a great drive on the first hole, only to finish the hole with a score of bogey or worse. One good shot does not guarantee another, just like one bad shot does not guarantee another.

The virtue of patience is held by those that have faith that things will come together as needed. There is no benefit to any of us getting ahead of ourselves. Even if we could control the outcome, we wouldn’t truly be living if we knew what was coming next. Life is an ongoing paradox wherever you look without faith and virtue.

Patience can improve your golf game by allowing you to stay present and to understand that the process is more important than the outcome. I guarantee that what you appreciate in your life has slowly developed over time. Sure, I enjoy buying chocolate chip cookies from the store, but that’s nothing compared making them at home and going through the process, taking them out of the oven at the exact right time to enjoy.

I am just as guilty as anyone else on the golf course in terms of getting frustrated with a result and letting that frustration impact the next hole. Patience has to be a daily practice for me. Allowing life to come to me to a certain extent. I’ve been told and often advise others that “showing up is half the battle.” Life will meet you halfway in all forms. Showing up to war will mean combat is inevitable. Love will be met with hate. Victory will be met with loss.

We are challenged to show up regardless of outcome, to read between the lines, and immerse ourselves in the process.

Practicing patience on the golf course would look like having a consistent routine that you trust. Regardless of the shot prior, you understand that every stroke is equally valuable. Understanding that the little things in the game are actually the big things that matter the most.

The difference between a little thing in golf and a big thing would be making a 3 foot putt vs hitting a 300 yard drive every time. Hitting the ball 300 yards will have less of an impact on your overall score than the ability to make most of your putts from inside 10 feet. The amount of opportunities to hit a long drive are less than making short putts. Spend the time getting good at the little things and allow the game to surprise you with the results.

Many players would be happy with playing bogey golf. Scoring an average bogey per hole does not require a driver to come in play at all. Tee to green, bogey golf is simply the ability to get within 30 yards of the green in regulation. So 1 shot on a par 3 within 30 yards, 2 shots on a par 4, and 3 shots on a par 5. If you’re on a par 5 and your third shot is from 100 yards and you can’t consistently get that shot within 30 yards of the green, you shouldn’t be worried about getting a better tee shot. Learn how to play the game from the green backwards. That will allow you your best scoring opportunities.

There’s no rush to improvement. If you show up and are willing to learn the little things, the pressure will melt away.

Thank you for reading! 🙏

I’ll meet you out there.

Coach Zach